|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
21 May 2015, 11:54 (Ref:3539888) | #1 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 49
|
New Member-USA
Hello all.
Just checking in for my first time to post what some of us do in historic racing on the west side of the Atlantic Ocean. I won't pretend to fully understand all the nuances of European historic racing. It looks similar to what we call "vintage sports car racing" in the eastern USA......but not exactly the same. Anyway, I'm a long time racer over here, initially in SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) and NASA (National Auto Sports Association). These clubs and similar ones race "modern" cars (ie-MX5, Corvette, Civic, Viper, Golf, Mustang, etc.). About 15 years ago I switched to vintage racing which better suited my vintage persona (in other words, I'm old). I still work (I teach engineering in a college), so cannot get to all the excellent vintage events all around the USA, but I run in many around the north-east area. Such as the Pitttsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, the Lime Rock Vintage, the Watkins Glen Festival, the Jefferson 500, etc. I typically limit my towing distance to a max of 8 hours (from my New Jersey home). So not going to Daytona or Road Atlanta until after I retire. I just ran my racer in the Jefferson 500 last week. My long-suffering but good natured-wife is my "crew" and my vintage racer is somewhat tatty #909 MG Midget (parts of which I have been racing since 1973). It's built from a 1500 "rubber bumper" car (purchased for $200) and then backdated with a 1275 engine and gearbox. I'm definitely a low-budget racer but I have some great battles for 14th place etc. Had a great time meeting up with old friends and new at this years Jeff 500. It was great chat once again with Brian Redman and a real treat to meet Kas Kastner. At previous Jefferson events I've met John Morton, Vic Elford and others. We also have our own irreverent crew (of mostly MGs) called "The Joisey Boyz" comprised of me, Butch, Storm, Tom, Don, Steve, Mark and various other, random hangers-on. Anyway, it's been fun to look through this forum and see how folks racing historic cars in Europe. I should mention here that I was actually born in Yorkshire to Irish parents. As a kid, my Dad worked on "the tubes" in London. Eventually, we immigrated to Canada and later, to the USA. So most of my closest relatives are still in Ireland and the UK....and many of them follow European motorsports. OK, so here's a link to photos and two videos for the Jefferson 500 - 2015 http://vintageracer.tripod.com/jeff-500-2015.html In case you'd like to view photos from any previous events, here is my main link below (with about 50 previous events I've run). This is a Tripod-Lycos "freeware" link with limited bandwidth. If it doesn't work, just try back later. http://vintageracer.tripod.com/events.html Some sample photos from the Jeff.... Nial McCabe Spridget #909 |
||
|
21 May 2015, 15:08 (Ref:3539934) | #2 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,359
|
That #4 Spitfire's a pretty little thing!
Triumph Italia - one of my all-time favourites! |
||
__________________
Doing an important job doesn't make you an important person. |
21 May 2015, 15:25 (Ref:3539940) | #3 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 9,891
|
Good to have you here Nial, I'm sure you will make many friends as time goes by, however, there are a few reprobates lurking in the undergrowth, so be prepared, they not all as nice as me.
PS; I won't mention any names for fear of the Mods. |
||
__________________
When asking; "Is he joking?" Best assume yes! |
21 May 2015, 16:33 (Ref:3539961) | #4 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 703
|
Great first post Nial.
Very informative and great set of pictures. That red Spitfire(no 7) that you are dicing with ......... can he see much ? I don,t think I,ve ever seen so much padding round a roll cage !!!!! |
||
__________________
"If you would do great things, first set your sails to the wind" |
21 May 2015, 18:40 (Ref:3539982) | #5 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 6,863
|
Hi Nial, nice to meet a fellow Spridgeteer. Off the top of my head on this forum there's me, MGDavid and FISCRacer who are all/have been club Spridget racers plus PieterBakker who even organises European competitions for them. Then there's Burfs, who runs the "Lumbertubs" Sebring Sprite and probably loads more I don't remember. (I've had a hard day - lousy excuse I know but true!)
One day I'll get back into it, your posts are inspiring and reminding me how much fun the little cars are. Max |
||
__________________
Midgetman - known as Max Tyler to the world. MaxAttaq! |
21 May 2015, 19:43 (Ref:3540000) | #6 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 539
|
Hi Nial,
Welcome! Some nice pictures there and from what I have experienced of the US club racing scene they certainly capture the spirit. Good to see a Macau Spitfire - real shame it wouldn't be eligible in UK FIA regs. I raced at Mid Ohio with the SVRA in 2002 in my mate's Triumph Spitfire and it was a ball. A group of us took over a TR3a, a TR5, two TR6s, 3 TR7V8s and the Spit. Kas Kastner was the Chief Marshall or whatever the title is with you guys and we were made very welcome. It was a very relaxed and fun weekend with a very eclectic mix of cars and I think a more relaxed attitude to the whole thing than we have over here. I've also done Daytona and I recommend that you take early retirement and get down there to race! Cheers |
||
__________________
You ain't so big - you just tall, that's all. --------------------------------------- Dave Thompson |
22 May 2015, 12:41 (Ref:3540154) | #7 | ||
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 13,226
|
Warm welcome, Nial. Look forward to regular posts from you.
|
||
__________________
"It's pure joy. This was the perfect training for the WEC after a summer of not racing, even though the car is faster than LMP2." Nicolas Minassian after lapping at 123mph in the Group C Jaguar XJR-14, setting a new outright lap record for the historic GP circuit at Silverstone Classic in 2013! |
23 May 2015, 11:45 (Ref:3540387) | #8 | |||||||
Rookie
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 49
|
Quote:
Quote:
Anyway, no worries. I've been a moderator (on British Car Forum) for over 10 years. And I live in New Jersey, where only the strong survive! Quote:
That's my old pal, Mike H. His padding looks a bit silly but he's a great driver and has excellent situational awareness. And I'm sure he can still see better than the guys in the 356 Coupes. Actually, many of our guys only run roll bars and they abuse me for having a full roll cage. But as I said, I'm from New Jersey so I thrive on abuse. Quote:
I love reading about the FISC cars. By the way, most of our Spridgets are fairly ordinary but we do have a few special ones. Including ~Graham Hill's old Speedwell Sprite~ (the real thing.....not a replica). It's running a 1275 but otherwise all original. I've raced with it many times. Quote:
One of the things I like about our vintage racing is that it is low key and relaxed (but we still maintain decent safety standards and driver training). I race with ~"VRG"~ . One of the other vintage clubs allows people to race in their cars "all original", in other words, no roll bar or seat belts! SVRA is a good group too but they do not have that many east coast USA events, plus they are starting to really emphasize super-fast cars rather than cars like mine. The Macua Spitfire is just a replica "tribute car" and not intended for racing. It has no real rollover protection, fuel cell, proper harnesses, etc. The owner drives it on the street to car shows, etc. Actually, he had just finished it a few days before and towed it from Georgia (approx 1000 miles) to our event just to show it off. Daytona, Mid-Ohio (and VIR) are on my bucket list when the paychecks stop! Thanks, John! |
|||||||
|
23 May 2015, 11:58 (Ref:3540390) | #9 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 49
|
|||
|
26 May 2015, 00:32 (Ref:3541244) | #10 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,078
|
Hi Nial,
I too race occasionally in the US, although I'm based in the UK, as I really enjoy the laid back atmosphere you guys have. I'm also of Irish parentage. Most people are surprised that I don't race a Jaguar / MG or Triumph when they hear my British accent, as you love a British sportscar. I will be at Lime Rock Park this weekend with the HRG / VSCCA in my black 65 Mustang and at the Vintage Fall Festival, so come and say hi if you're around. Best, Cliff |
|
|
26 May 2015, 02:38 (Ref:3541256) | #11 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 49
|
Cliff:
I think Mike Harmuth (Spitfire with big yellow padding as seen above) and Butch O'Conner (white MGA with orange and green stripes) will be at the HRG/VSCCA event. Probably some others I know too. I won't be at this event but I may be at the Fall Festival (spectating). A good number of my VRG pals will be running. I'll be sure to stop by and say hello if I attend. |
||
__________________
"Enjoy every sandwich." |
6 Jun 2015, 10:40 (Ref:3545487) | #12 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Apr 1999
Posts: 446
|
hey Nial, I've been to the Jefferson 500 at few times, here's a piece on my old website from my second visit back in 2001:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~ga..._500/index.htm and 2006: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~ga...2006/index.htm |
||
|
6 Jun 2015, 19:13 (Ref:3545613) | #13 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,117
|
Your attitude to racing over there is certainly more relaxed than here......good on ya!
We do have autocrossing here, but its more like off-road racing over rough ground....what you describe sounds like what we call autotests - with a prescribed course around pylons / cones, with reversing into "garages" / stopping across marked lines, spin turns etc, with penalties for hitting cones, not stopping across a line, taking a wrong route, etc......great for car control, but hard on the memory! |
||
__________________
Richard Murtha: You don't stop racing because you are too old, you get old when you stop racing! But its looking increasingly likely that I've stopped.....have to go back to rallying ;) |
8 Jun 2015, 21:05 (Ref:3546269) | #14 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,359
|
|||
__________________
Doing an important job doesn't make you an important person. |
11 Jun 2015, 07:57 (Ref:3547327) | #15 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 5,549
|
Quote:
|
|||
|
11 Jun 2015, 10:22 (Ref:3547374) | #16 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 49
|
|||
__________________
"Enjoy every sandwich." |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Elfins in the USA | graham allen | Motorsport History | 1 | 27 Jun 2008 09:44 |
USA race? | cos | A1GP | 30 | 4 May 2008 10:19 |
Hello from Florida USA | TDDWEST | Sportscar & GT Racing | 21 | 9 Feb 2004 05:00 |
Karting in the USA | tally-bally-ho | Kart Racing | 2 | 13 Nov 2003 22:15 |
Usa Gp | Crash and Burn | Formula One | 10 | 19 Sep 2001 00:58 |